Thursday, February 10, 2011

Very distant view of the light at Cleggan Point. I had secretly hoped we might have had the time to take the ferry to Inishbofin (where we'd pass much closer to this light and also get to see the Inishbofin Light too) but a combination of a strong wind and an incredulous expression on my wife's face soon put that one to bed.This was taken somewhere to the west of Cleggan (there is no road to the headland itself) Don't ask me where. The roads are merely joined up pot-holes and completely unsignposted. I was keeping an eye out for it and got lucky in about a hundred yard stretch above the village.

Basically, its another white concrete box lighthouse, what my wife would call "not a proper" lighthouse.

Approaching the western end of the Sky Road out of Clifden, I happened to glance down across the bay and on the far side, noticed this white structure at the end of the headland opposite.

Is it a lighthouse? Could it be some kind of marker that doesn't have a light, like the Metal Man in Tramore, co Waterford? It certainly looks as though it ought to be a lighthouse and one of the Bed and Breakfasts on the Sky Road is called Lighthouse View (there are no other lighthouses in view)

No, of course this isn't a lighthouse but an interesting enough light and I can't find it on Trabas. Situated at the approach to Clifden in, erm, Clifden Bay, this was taken from the Sky Road just outside of Clifden Town.

Not much of a photograph but then again, it wasn't much of a lighthouse either. Probably might have done better if I'd have chanced one of the tiny lanes down to the coast just before hitting Roundstone village after continuing on the R341 after Slyne Head. As it was, this was taken from the craft park near the top (south) of the village, looking southwards at midday, hence the silhouette effect.

The light is on the southern end of the island of Inishnee. There is a bridge and road on the island but according to the maps, the road peters out long before the southern promontory. It was built in 1961.

Two for the price of one I suppose, though I'd have liked to get a little nearer! The one on the left, no longer in use, is Slyne Head East and the black one is, surprisingly, Slyne Head West. They were originally twin lights built in 1837 but the east light was abandoned in 1898. The west light was painted black in 1907.

To get there, drive to Ballyconneely on the R341 and then turn westwards, signposted for the Connemara Smokehouse and other places. Watch out for a hand painted signpost for the Connemara Golf Club on your right hand side (don't drive to Berowne Bay - spectacular views but no lights) Before you reach the Golf Course you go over a small hillock, from where I got the pictures above. Maddeningly, as you get nearer to the lights, they disappear behind Slyne Head itself (the lights are on Illaunamid, an islet further out) until the road ends up in a caravan park and a road saying No Trespassing.

Okay, a trip down to Connemara gave me the opportunity to bag a few lighthouses, but with my wife accompanying me, I could not perhaps devote enough time to tracking down some of the more distant ones. A couple of the photos are quite disappointing but the prospect of another journey down to rectify this softens the blow somewhat.

This is the Cashla Bay Light, located at Latitude 53°15.834' North Longitude 009°33.982' West according to the CIL. The lighthouse directory does not list it as a lighthouse, though most road atlases do.

To find it, come into Rossaveel and continue down around the harbour, past the Aran Islands ferry parking, until a wrought iron gate marks the end of the road. There is a pedestrian gate through to the other side but as the light points out to sea, it is difficult to get around to the other side of it. Probably the best view would be from the ferry.

About Me

I work in a warehouse which as you can imagine is very stimulating. I follow Shelbourne FC and football in general. Happily married for over 20 years to Monica with two great no-longer kids, Louise and Neil.
I mainly write humorous verse but have written serious verse, a book of essays, a novel and a biography. But still can't put up a shelf.